Way til’ ya get a load of these fantastic looking Batsuit skins that will be available as a pre-order bonus and later on as downloadable content.

Since his 1939 appearance in the 27th issue of Detective Comics, Batman has had an iconic range of different looks, batsuit wise that is. With each unique design a time-stamp of The Dark Knight’s long historic career as the defender of Gotham City and one of DC Comic’s best-established figures the world over.

Coming soon in Batman: Arkham City, you’ll have an opportunity to relive those moments with special skins that allow you suit up Bats in the classic costume of your choosing. Aside from the Batman: Year One skin shown above, already announced are five additional-content outfits, including one that dresses up Batman as his Animated Series counterpart — those eyes… they… they stare into your soul…

Whoa… umm, where was I? Oh yes! Here’s a wonderful image that depicts all the current skins announced so far for Batman: Arkham City.

From left to right:

Batman Beyond

The Dark Knight Returns Batman

Batman Earth One

1970′s Batman

The Animated Series Batman

The Arkham City Batman

Each special Batman skin will be available as a pre-order gift, but only certain costumes will be given at corresponding retailers. Meaning that from which reliable retailer you choose to reserve Batman:Arkham City at, you’ll receive that exact Batsuit as a bonus. We don’t know for sure yet which skin will be available at which retailer — yet it’s mostly likely you’ll see them at a GameStop near you.

And even if you don’t happen to get one around the pre-order period, I’m sure, just as the exclusive Arkham Ayslum challenge maps were eventually made available for purchase – in time — so should these super cool costumes.

Update: “The offer that we’re making out with retailers for gamers is, this is an early access opportunity for you, down the track [the skins] will be available more broadly.” — Rocksteady’s marketing manager Dax Ginn

See! I told you so! You should really listen to me more often. Who knows, maybe my recent scuttlebutt about the PlayStation Vita’s release date will be proven true. Even though I didn’t come up with the rumor and only reported on it… but my point still stands, whatever that is.

Batman’s tux-wearing flightless bird foe, the Penguin, appears for the first time in this Comic-Con trailer for Batman: Arkham City.

Holy double dose of awesome Batman! The latest trailer for Batman Arkham City, arriving in stores October 18, 2011, not only marks the RockSteady Studios debut for one of the Cape Crusader’s greatest nemesis, the Penguin, but also a classic callback to a DC Universe baddie.

I’ll let you figure that last one* on your own by watching the Comic-Con 2011 trailer below. Where you’ll also see a good dose of the Penguin, who surprisingly is now from the merry ole’ land of England, getting into a brief conversation with Bats. How cool! (See what I did there.)

These path-crossings with other familiar foes will be a frequent occurrence throughout Arkham City. And depending on where you venture throughout the amazingly vast maximum security confines (believe me it’s a huge stretch of land,) you’re bound to run into the Riddler or the crown-prince of crime himself, the Joker.

Batman won’t be the only vigilante on the streets though — you’ll also share some screen-time with the Catwoman, as she’ll show up every now & then, thieving her way into nine-lives risking situations. She plays quite differently from Bats, in that she’s much more agile in her combat skills, using her claws and signature whip to take down enemies.

And while limited in the Best Buy pre-order exclusive challenge pack, the boy-wonder himself, Robin, will also appear in Arkham City, even though he looks straight-casted out of the 1997 Batman & Robin movie. Yeah, I know, not a resounding vote of confidence about that description, but cross my heart, in no way should the holy poo poo of that movie will ever work its way into this video game. I hope.

While we’re on subject of movies, or rather video games that could be movies, I hope you managed to check out the Comic-Con 2011 panel for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. It’s a great watch and features a short clip from the game, which supports a bevy of multiplayer options!